Demigod Dreams
by Coqui's Song
Summary: Nico hates his dreams, because they remind him of things he can never have.


***House of Hades Spoilers***

**I suppose I still have to do that even though it's been two weeks already. XD**

**Why do I love this ship so much. I never thought about it much, but now that I think about it all the time _it makes so much sense and my heart is breaking every time I see Nico's name and why did you do this to me, Rick, you have successfully turned me into a puddle of emotional goo and I can't function anymore, I can't._**

**I wrote this whole thing listening to _Demons_ by Imagine Dragons. Over and over again. Seriously, I love that song so freaking much; I've listened to it more than 250 times on Youtube Repeat. **

**Disclaimer: I wish I could come up with a creative disclaimer, but since I can't because I suck, I'm just gonna say that I don't own the PJO/HoO series. So… there it is. I don't own it.**

_Demigod Dreams_

By: Coqui's Song

Nico hates dreams.

Demigods rarely have good dreams. Even before Nico had been taken to Tartarus and trapped in a bronze jar, his dreams had not been pleasant. Afterwards, the nightmares he has every night make him fear falling asleep.

Once in a blue moon, though, his dreams make him feel so good, so happy. As if he never wants to wake up from them.

And those dreams are the worst of all.

The night he returns to the Underworld after shadow-travelling Reyna, Coach Hedge, and the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood, he has one such dream.

** Ω Ω Ω**

Percy's sea-green eyes sparkle in the sun. He wears a teasing smile on his face, and Nico's heart pounds painfully in his chest as a response. They are standing on the seashore. The son of Hades can't tell which beach it is, but it hardly seems to matter. Nico revels in the feeling of the sand under his bare feet.

"Aren't you Italian?" the son of Poseidon wonders aloud.

Nico glances at him and grins. _"Sí."_

"Then why in Hades' name are you so damn pale?" asks Percy, taking Nico by the wrist and basically dragging him to the water.

"Why is the son of Poseidon so damn pale?" he mutters good-naturedly in reply as waves wash over his ankles. Percy laughs, raising his face up to the warm sun. Nico copies him. The sun hurts his eyes; they're so accustomed to the darkness of the Underworld, but that doesn't really matter. He'll get used to it. In fact, once he closes his eyes, the warmth of the blazing sun spreads across his face, and it's a pleasant sensation.

They wade in until the water goes up to his waist. He forces down a feeling of anxiety. He doesn't know how to swim. Oh, gods, would Percy make him swim? Shit. He should've taken those classes. He still hasn't let go of Nico's wrist, which makes him feel a little relieved. That is, until Percy leads him into even deeper water. Nico grabs Percy's wrist with his other hand nervously as water begins to reach his chest. The son of Poseidon glances down at him in confusion.

"I can't swim," he confesses nervously, his dark eyes meeting Percy's bright gaze.

Percy isn't mad; he gives the Ghost King an amused smile, like, _You're dating the son of Poseidon and you can't swim?_ but Nico knows that it isn't mean, only teasing, especially when he sees the fondness in those deep sea-green eyes.

"I've got you," Percy promises gently, and Nico believes him. "Come closer."

The son of Hades throws his arms around Percy's neck, hugging him close. He can feel the son of Poseidon's strong, steady heartbeat against his own chest. "_Ti amo_," Nico breathes, putting all the emotion he feels at this moment into his words.

"Hmm," says Percy, giving the younger demigod a kiss on the cheek. He knows enough Italian to understand what Nico has said. "I love you, too."

They begin wading back to shore, Nico gripping Percy's hand as tightly as possible. Percy chuckles and glances at him. "You know," he begins thoughtfully, a mischievous grin spreading on his face, "you're hot when you speak Italian."

"Oh really? Maybe I should use it more to my advantage, then," Nico replies, and dear gods, their faces are getting closer and closer and Nico's heart is pounding so hard in his chest –can Percy feel it? –and holy Hades, their lips are about to touch–

Nico wakes in his bed with a start. His heart plummets as he realizes it had only been a dream, but he rolls over and closes his eyes again, trying to hold onto the feeling that his dream had given him. Slowly, as more and more time passes, the feeling evaporates, leaving Nico as lonely as ever.

Of course it was a dream, part of him thinks. Percy would never, ever, love him. Not that way. Oh, sure, the son of Poseidon might care about him, but it's all platonic.

He wishes it wasn't platonic. He wishes Percy loved him.

Nico sighs and rolls over again in his bed. It would all be easier if he didn't love Percy Jackson. The problem is that he_ does_, and he can't change that. Another thing he can't change is that Percy will never love him; he loves Annabeth Chase and he'd gladly give his life for her.

But he wouldn't give his life for Nico. Percy would do all he could to rescue him, but if it came down to sacrificing himself for the son of Hades, he wouldn't; personal loyalty be damned, because of Annabeth. He has to be loyal to one over the other, and Percy will always choose Annabeth, because she needs him.

The thought stings.

He wants to scream, I need you, too! but he can't. To tell Percy would be to open himself up to even more pain, and he doesn't think that he can stand that.

He wishes he hadn't thrown his conch shell into the Styx, because he really needs it now. He needs to hear the sea, but all he can do is close his eyes and remember his dream. How vivid it was. How Percy's hand felt in his. The sound of his laugh; so cheerful and full of life. The sparkle in his vibrant sea-green eyes.

Nico hates dreams. Especially the good ones. The ones with Percy in them, the ones where they're happy and nothing can go wrong.

Because in the end, all they do is remind him of things he can never have.

**Why do I like angst so much? Why can't I ever just write happy endings? Can't I ever write "And Nico and Percy lived happily ever after"? Apparently not. I'll try to, though.**

**/also yes the conch shell is from the piece I wrote a few days ago I just love references**

**Reviews are appreciated. :)**

_**~Coqui's Song**_


End file.
